Brian Roberts had surgery for sports hernia last month

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts played in just 17 games last season because of post-concussion symptoms and then a hip injury. Now he's working his way back from sports hernia surgery.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts played in just 17 games last season because of post-concussion symptoms and then a hip injury. Now he's working his way back from sports hernia surgery. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

Dan ConnollyThe Baltimore Sun

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts had surgery in December to repair a sports hernia but says he is fully recovered and is already back doing baseball activities.

The 35-year-old Roberts, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip in August, had been rehabbing since September in preparation to start the 2013 season. His rehab in Sarasota, Fla., had been going well, he said, but he began feeling some discomfort and inflammation in his abdomen area.

On Dec. 19, he was examined by Dr. William Meyers, a sports hernia specialist in Philadelphia who has performed surgeries on the Orioles' Nick Markakis, Brian Matusz and Ryan Adams, among others. Meyers diagnosed the hernia – something Roberts says often “runs parallel” with the hip injury and rehab – and because the recovery time was estimated at only one month, Roberts decided to have the procedure the next day.

“If I was going to have any type of surgery, it’s probably the best one to have,” said Roberts, who talked with Matusz and Markakis before the procedure. “I knew it really wasn’t going to affect me much.”

Roberts said he often shuts down his workouts around Christmas and New Year’s, so he really didn’t feel like he lost any time at all.

“I’ve probably hit more this offseason that I have hit in an offseason in 10 years,” Roberts said. “I feel like I’m in a really good place all around. I have to work on certain things, sure, but I am in a really good place.”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter had mentioned on Thursday that Roberts had had a small setback, but was back to full strength. Roberts said he wasn’t hiding the fact he had surgery, but he just didn’t think it was an issue.

“It didn’t affect my preparation,” he said.

Roberts, in the last year of a four-year, $40 million contract, said he is a “full-go” for the spring.

A two-time All-Star, he has played in just 115 games over the past three years due to various injuries. After nearly 13 months away, Roberts made a triumphant return to the Orioles lineup last June, getting three hits and driving in a run in his first game back. But his season ended abruptly three weeks later due to the hip injury.